Latin American Economic History

ECON Special Topics

Meeting time

1pm, Tuesday - Thursday

Academic 1027

Book
The Puzzle of Latin American Economic Development (Paperback) ---- 2^ND Edition -----
by Patrice Franko
ISBN 0742524663
http://www.amazon.com/Puzzle-Latin-American-Economic-Development/dp/0742524663/ref=ed_oe_p

Requirements

20%	Attendance and participation
		Become a "country expert" on the country of your choice. Read everything you can find about that country (from economist.com, CIA World Factbook, World Bank, etc., etc.), economic, political, historical, cultural, etc. Bring up examples from your country as often as possible in class. ("You know, my country did this really crazy import-substituting thing back in the 70s ...")
25%	1-2 page reflection papers
		I will send you questions that you can answer from the readings.
25%	Country Briefing
		Brief the rest of the class on the country of your choice. Tell us everything about that country, and focus on a particular topic. Each one of you and I will pick a particular topic to focus on from chapters 10-14. On the day that topic is up on the syllabus, you will make a presentation on your country: Every political, geographic, historical, economic, and cultural aspect you can think of. Bring in maps, pictures, songs, paintings, videos. How about the country's flag? Maybe make a huge posterboard with the historical timeline of the country or bring in a sample of the country's main export (but don't bring a cow if your country is Argentina). After telling us all that, tell us, how that country deals with the particular issue at hand (environment, agriculture, etc.), what are the main challenges, etc. For example, I’d be interested in hearing about the impact of Hugo Chavez’ programs in Venezuela on levels of popular literacy or indicators of popular well being. Someone might want to brief on NAFTA and the extent of poverty in Mexico. You might want to look at educational policy in Chile, where important reforms have been undertaken. Have extensive property rights reforms in Peru had a measurable impact on the extent of poverty? Is Lula serious about sustainable development in the Brazilian Amazon? These are the kind of things I’d like to hear about. You will prepare a written bibliography in standard form of the materials you are using: they will include at least one scholarly book; at least two academic (refereed) periodicals; and at least one on-line scholarly resource. I will be the authority on whether or not something qualifies as scholarly. No one briefs on the basis of some amateurish crap they found on the Internet (remember, “cite Wikipedia, Get F”). When you have your meeting with me (a brief one), you will hand in the bibliography. Here is a resource, based on a Harvard syllabus.
30%	Final

Information

http://mysite.avemaria.edu/gmartinez/

Date			Chapter	Reading	Questions
Jan	15	T		Introduction
	17	TH	1	Development in Latin America: Conceptualizing Economic Change in the Region	Questions
	22	T	2	Historical Legacies: Patterns of Unequal and Unstable Growth	Questions
	24	TH
	29	T	3	Import Substitution Industrialization: Looking Inward for the Source of Economic Growth
	31	TH
Feb	5	T	4	Latin America's Debt Crisis: The Limits of External Financing
	7	TH
	12	T	5	Price Stabilization: A Critical Ingredient for Sustained Growth
	14	TH
	19	T	6	The Role of the State: Defining a Desirable and Sustainable Level of State Activity
	21	TH
	26	T	7	New International Capital Flows: The Benefits (and Hidden Costs) of Latin America's Return to Markets
	28	TH
Mar	4	T	8	Contemporary Trade Policy: Engine or Brakes for Growth?
	6	TH
	11	T	9	Student presentation: International Industrial Competitiveness: Improving the Quality of Labor, Technology, and Infrastructure
	13	TH		Student presentation: Agricultural Policy: Sowing the Seeds of Equitable, Sustainable Growth in Latin America
	18	T	10	no class
	20	TH		Holy Thursday
	25	T		Easter Break
	27	TH		Easter Break
Apr	1	T		Haber, Stephen, "Industrial Concentration and the Capital Markets: A Comparative Study of Brazil, Mexico, and the United States 1830-1930," Journal of Economic History, Vol. 51, No. 3 (Sep., 1991), pp. 559-580
	3	TH	11	Student presentation: Poverty and Inequality: Addressing the Social Deficit in Latin America
	8	T	12	Student presentation: Health Policy: Investing in People's Futures
	10	TH		Coatsworth, John H., "Indispensable Railroads in a Backward Economy: The Case of Mexico," Journal of Economic History, Vol. 39, No. 4 (Dec., 1979), pp. 939-960
	15	T	13	Student presentation: Education Policy: The Source of Equitable, Sustainable Growth
	17	TH		Haber, Stephen, "Business Enterprise and the Great Depression in Brazil: A Study of Profits and Losses in Textile Manufacturing," Business History Review, Vol. 66, No. 2 (Summer, 1992), pp. 335-363
	22	T	14	Student presentation: Environmental Challenges: Internalizing the Costs of Development
	24	TH		Della Paolera, Gerardo and Alan M. Taylor, "Economic Recovery from the Argentine Great Depression: Institutions, Expectations, and the Change of Macroeconomic Regime," Journal of Economic History, Vol. 59, No. 3 (Sep., 1999), pp. 567-599.
	29	T	15	Lessons Learned: Cycles in Latin American Development
May	1	TH		Reading Day
		TBD		Final

Country	Student	Date	Topic
Chile	Lyon	Mar 11	International Industrial Competitiveness
Colombia	Velasco	Mar 13	Agriculture
Uruguay	Waters	Apr 1	Poverty and Inequality
Brazil	Lee	Apr 8	Health
Argentina	Guerrero	Apr 15	Education
Mexico	Miles	Apr 22	Environment